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Egypt's Cotton Exports Have Gone Up Since 2017

And they're expected to keep going up.

Staff Writer

Egypt's Cotton Exports Have Gone Up Since 2017

Egypt’s cotton exports are expected to reach 52,000 tonnes in the 2017/2018 season, up 37 percent from the previous year, according to Reuters. Egypt planted 336,000 feddans (141,120 hectares) of long-staple cotton in 2018, up from 220,000 feddans (92,400 hectares) in 2017, the Agriculture Ministry spokesman said this week. Nabil-Al-Santaricy, head of the Alexandria Cotton Exporters Association is positive about future growth, too. “Next year we expect to yield approximately 120,000 tonnes overall, so we expect exports to rise by approximately 40-45 percent if we export around 75,000 tonnes”, he told Reuters.

Al-Santaricy has reason to be optimistic, as Egyptian cotton production is being helped by the 2016 devaluation of the pound, as well as a push from authorities to avoid water intensive crops due to water shortages.  Its output fell significantly in 2011, as regulations weren’t enforced due to political mayhem, but demand has picked up as rules to ensure quality have been strictly enforced again since 2016.

The cotton industry is an important sector of the Egyptian economy, contributing 26.4 percent of the gross industrial product, generating $7 billion a year in exports, according to Textile Today. Egyptian cotton is prized due to its "long staple or extra long staple," which makes it a more durable and long-lasting cotton.

Main image by MO4 Network.